Clothes-line stick or stretcher.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905 L D. MOUSER.

CLOTHES LINE STICK 0R STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLOTHES-LINE STICK OR STRETCHER SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 779,234, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed November 1 1-, 1903- Serial No. 181,258.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

- 'the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clothes-line sticks andstretchers; and the object of my invention is to provide a clotheslinestick or stretcher by means of which the operator may tighten or loosenone or more clothes-lines readily and conveniently to the desired extentin a manner to be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure Us a perspective view of theclothes-line stick or stretcher embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is adetached perspective view of the upper end of the standard and thelocking member. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of theoperating-handle and its cooperating connection. Fig. i is a perspectiveview of the upper end of the standard with its attached parts, thecasting 3 shown partly in section.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates a standard of any desiredheight, the lower end of the standard being suitably journaled orswiveled, as indicated at 2, whereby the standard may be revolved.Connected to the upper end of the standard is a casting 3, havingdepending flanges, as indicated, which embrace and are suitablyconnected to the upper end of the standard. Projecting from this casting3 is a spool or reel 4, having at its upper end a flange 5. Connectedwith this spool or reel are the wires or lines 6, to which theclothes-lines will be attached in any suitable'manner.

The standard 1 is rotated through the medium of a suitable cross-handle7. This crosshandle is swiveled to the standard 1, whereby its end 8 maybe vibrated vertically through the medium of a suitable bolt 9. For thepurpose of assisting'in attaching the handle 7 to the standard and atthe same time limiting the amount of vertical movement of the end 8 thehandle is provided with a vertically-elongated slot 10, through which asuitable screw or bolt 11 passes. For the purpose of strengthening thestandard at the point at which the handle 7 is attached I provide blocks12 and 14,. which are attached to opposite sides thereof bysecuring-bolts, which pass through these blocks and the standard, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be understood that by rotating the standard 1through the medium of the handle 7 the wires or lines 6 can be drawn toany desired tension or slackened, whereby the clothes-lines can beconveniently reached for the purpose of hanging the clothes thereon andthen the standard 1 rotated for the purpose of tightening the lines tothe desired height.

For the purpose of locking the standard with the lines 6 at the desiredtension or height I provide a locking hook or member 15, which consistsof the two arm portions 16 and 17 the arm 16 provided with an inturnedend 18 and the arm 17 provided with essentially an L-shaped end 19.These ends 18 and 19 are passed through openings 20, which are formed inthe flanges of the casting 3, and the bent ends rest upon the shouldersat the upper end of the standard .1. The outer end of this lockingmember or hook 15 is provided with a suitable hook 21, which is adaptedto engage one of the lines 6 whenmoved upin the position indicated inFig. 1. For the convenient operation of this locking member 15 I providea connection 22 in the form of a rod, which has its upper end connectedwith the locking member 15 at the point 23 and its lower end connectedwith the end 8 of the handle 7. \Vhen the end 8 of the handle 7 is movedupward to the position shown in Fig. 1, the locking member is carried tothe position to have its hook 21 engage one of the wires or lines 6, andthe standard 1 will then be locked and prevented from rotating and thelines held at the desired tension or height. If the handle is moveddownward, the hook will be released from one of the lines, and thestandard may then be rotated either for the purpose of tightening orslackening the lines, as may be desired.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the operator canreadily release the tension of the lines 6 through the medium of thehandle 7 and at the same time lock the lines at the adjusted tension bysimply moving up upon the end 8 of the handle 7.

When the invention is to be used in connection with one clothes-line,one of the lines 6 may be made fast to a post or other object directlyopposite the clothes-line, which, together with the clothes-line, willsupport the standard.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device of the character described, comprising a vertically-arrangedrotatable standard adapted to have attached thereto a line, a movablelocking member carried by the standard and adapted to engage the saidline, means for rotating the standard, and a connection between the saidmeans and the said locking member, substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a vertically-arrangedstandard adapted to have a line attached thereto and wrappedtherearound, a laterally-extending verticallymovable locking membercarried by the said standard, a laterally-arranged vertically-movablehandle connected to the standard and by means of which it may berotated, and a connection between the vertically-movable handle and thevertically-movable locking member, whereby the standard may be rotatedby the handle and the locking member controlled thereby, substantiallyas described.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a vertically-a1rangedrotatable stand-- ard, a spool projecting from its upper end and adaptedto receive a hne, a laterally-arranged vertically-movable locking memberhaving its inner end pivotally connected with the standard, alaterally-arranged handle connected with standard and by means of whichit may be rotated, and a depending member connected with the lockingdevice, whereby the locking device may be moved vertically for engagingand disengaging said line, substan- 4'5 tially as described.

A. A device of the character described, comprising a vertically-arrangedrotatable standard, a casting embracing its upper end, the

casting having an upwardly-projecting spool 5 adapted to receive a line,a laterally-extending locking member having its inner end pivotallyseated in the casting, the outer end of the locking member extendingupward and adapted to engage the said line, a laterally-ar- 5 5 rangedhandle connected to the standard, and by means of which it may berotated, the said handle supported to have a vertical movement, and aconnection between the handle and the locking member, whereby the handle0 performs the double function of rotating the standard and ofcontrolling the locking mem ber, substantially as described.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a vertically-arrangedrotatable stand- 5 ard adapted to have attached thereto a line, a memberconnected with the standard and adapted to rotate it, and a lockcontrolled by the said member and adapted to engage and disengage thesaid line, substantially as de- 70 scribed.

In testlmony whereof I have, hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

